


A Lover's Mistakes

by Lillifred



Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, The Song of the Lioness - Tamora Pierce, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-21
Updated: 2015-06-21
Packaged: 2018-04-05 11:07:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4177491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lillifred/pseuds/Lillifred
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kourrem tries to weave a gift for Kara. But she keeps making mistakes, so she asks Mari Fahrar for help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Lover's Mistakes

“I need your help.”

Mari looked up from the work she was doing when Kourrem entered her tent. She was visiting her far less often, now that she had so much work to do as one of the tribe’s shamans. Also, her weaving had gotten better, almost to the point of perfection. Normally she just didn’t need Mari’s help much.

“What can I help you with, my daughter?”

Kourrem presened a piece of cloth to her she had just woven. “I’m trying to make a burnoose and a veil. But I keep getting the pattern wrong.” The burnoose-to-be was white with lots and lots of golden threads, adding up to a beautifully crafted pattern, if it wasn’t for the striking mistakes that spoiled Kourrem’s work.

“Is that for you?”

“No.” Kourrem blushed under her veil she had not taken off since entering the tent. Maybe she feared that a man could enter. Or she planned for a short visit only and didn’t want to bother taking the veil off and putting it on again. Or maybe, she wanted to hide some of her emotions from Mari. With that, she did not succeed. “It is for Kara, actually.”

“What a beautiful thing to give to a friend. She will like it.”

“It is not beautiful. I got it all wrong.”

Mari chuckled. “You do know about that saying? That a woman who is in love will make mistakes when she tries to weave something for the man she desires. Or the woman, in your case?”

The skin around Kourrem’s eyes turned almost bright red. She looked down. “I don’t even know if I _can_ love her like that.”

“Why not?”

“This cannot be! I know a woman who rides like a man. But I know no woman who loves a woman like a man loves a woman. Or like a woman loves a man.”

“I did, when I was younger.” Mari looked at something in the distance.

“Who was that woman?”

“It was me. Luckily I knew another one. A friend of mine.”

“So you have made love to a woman?” Kourrem’s voice trembled with awe. “I didn’t even know that’s possible!”

“Me neither. And yet it was.” Mari took Kourrem’s cloth in her hands. “Or maybe I did know about it all my life. In this world there is knowledge that some people will never know about. But other people? They do know.”

Kourrem was thinking. Mari was right. The way she looked at Kara. The way Kourrem looked when Kara looked at her. Watching her gentle fingers walk. Or the way she walked. Elegantly, womanly. Like Kourrem never could. It was Kara’s laughing voice that made Kourrem shiver with joy. Oh, just to think about the time when they had tried to practice dancing like the knights and ladies did in Alanna’s land. Kara had touched Kourrem’s hand and her waist in just the right spot. She had been so close. But not close enough. Yes, Mari was right. There was no doubt that Kourrem loved Kara. And she had known that for a long time.

“You should tell her.”

“Are you sure? What if she doesn’t like it? What if she doesn’t love me?”

“She does love you. I don’t know if she loves you the same way you love her. But I do think so.”

“What makes you think so?”

“You will see.”

“Now, will you help me with my weaving?”

Mari shook her head. “One shouldn’t correct the mistakes a loving mind makes while weaving. They bring luck to the lovebirds.”


End file.
